Chapter 2: Mystery at First Sight

"Who are you, Lady?" he asked.

I gave him a very silly smile.

For about a minute, we just stared at each other silently. Both of us were obviously thinking how each one of us could possibly be present in our sight. He was quick to steal glimpses of my entirety. Too good I always wore decent clothes and never looked too vulgar for the year 1900. But still, I knew that my white shirt and blue jeans made me look like a cross-dresser for his time.

"Antoine..."

"H-How did you know my name?" His eyes widened a bit in bewilderment.

"Oh! You're famous here!" I excused. "Antoine Sta. Maria. San Isidro's most eligible bachelor." I quipped while giving himself a tap on his arm. Without batting an eyelash, he stared at my hand and then back on my shirt.

"Hey!" I interrupted him as his glimpse turned into a very long and intense one.

"Yes."

"Stop looking at my shirt." I said with a blush.

"I'm sorry." He blinked a couple of times and shifted his gaze down. "I'm not...I was in fact looking at...is that a black cat design?" he asked while pointing at the middle of his chest.

"Oh. Yes. I love cats very much. Most of my shirts have illustrations of them!"

"I see." he whispered. "A cat lover..."

One of the santelmos* got close to my head and let out a joyful squeak. The two smaller balls of fire followed. They flew in circles above my head until I smelled a part of my hair burning.

(Santelmos- Filipino version of St. Elmo's Fire (balls of fire))

"Hey, not so close!" I freaked out. "Behave!"

The smallest one went near my bag and smelled it. Rainbow-colored smoke came out of it and bounced excitedly. It surely smelled of candies. I opened my bag, took a box of sweets, and put them on the grass. I watched as the three santelmos graciously ate the fruity gummy bears and chocolate. Then after encircling me one more time, they proceeded to a nearby acacia tree.

"See you around." I said with a wave of my hand.

Santelmos.

I have seen a lot of them in our backyard. Most of them are harmless. Majority of their kind are just a little mischievous. To a human with no sixth sense or third eye, they can be mistaken as a very quick flash of light or a small firefly. To me, they were big orbs of fire almost the size of a volleyball. Their expressive eyes were black and round.

It was believed that these beings bring good luck to the place or person they are fond of visiting. I would like to agree with it because ever since that some of those fireballs came to our subdivision three years ago, our community have changed for the better in terms of wealth accumulation and business opportunities.

Some of them are just too naughty. They love to steal food, particularly from our kitchen. Since I was the only one who could see them, I just kept it a secret from my family. A little food for these creatures makes them really happy and friendlier. I always left some treats of cakes and sweets for them by the window.

Antoine just watched me in wonder as I talked to the santelmos. I felt that his full attention was on me.

I focused on him again. "The santelmos are just so cute, aren't they?"

He just kept staring at me with his lips parted a little and eyes filled with child-like wonder. I do not know if his funny expression was from shock that I knew his name or because of my style of clothing.

Or, he just found me weird.

The soil was wet from where I stood. It might have just rained. I tried to get rid of the dirt on my shirt and pants with my hands. Antoine handed me a handkerchief.

"I wonder who you are or where you came from. I think you are the reason why it rained even though it is summer." he told me. "You look familiar, have we seen before?"

In an instant the sun began to shine again. He looked at me suspiciously and quickly reached for a small vial of holy water placed on his pocket.

"Wait! I am not a spirit nor demon...human just human!"

He shook his head in disbelief and opened the vial.

"Don't you dare splash that water on my face!" I shrieked.

"Why not?" he asked with doubt in his expression. "How can I be sure if you're human?"

"I have a shadow, see?" I pointed on the ground trying to prove that I am not a ghost. "And let me recite the "Our Father".

This Christian prayer, for very mysterious reasons, could never be recited by bad spirits. Demons could barely say the name of God. I did chant the Lord's prayer.

But still, he was not convinced.

"Let me just do it." he said so gently. "It's just water, right?"

"Sure. But not on my face!" I snarled, almost charging at him to snatch the tiny bottle.

"Why?"

"Ah...my face powder is not water-proof. My mascara too."

Yeah.

Right.

It was a lame excuse.

The funny and real reason was my meticulous care for my face. Everything that touches it should be really clean. I detest blemishes to the core.

"H-Huh?" he could only mutter.

"My face could get pimples from that! That water could be dirty!" I admitted. I held out my hand to him. "Here. Pour that holy water on my palm instead."

"Never mind." he conceded. He hesitantly closed and returned the vial to his pocket. He was quick to shift his gaze back at me. I knew he was trying to read my behavior and expression.

"Are we, in year 1900?" I began to ask while crossing my arms around me as I was already feeling very uncomfortable with his intense stare.

"Yes."

"Is this your land?"

He did not answer. His eyes squinted a bit and replied with another question. "What's your name?"

"Ah...secret."

I was hesitant to give my name. My grandmother told me to never give it to a supernatural being or else I'm doomed.

"I see. Your name is Secret? What's your surname?"

"No! No! Secret is not my name!"

Oh dear.

This Antoine could really be silly.

"Then, what?" he calmly inquired. It seemed like he really wanted to know. "Please, just tell me."

Three men walked towards us. They greeted him with great respect. He acknowledged them with a nod.

"Are those your servants?"

"Yes."

I had to think quickly as I do not know where to go. I inhaled deeply and asked, "Do you need a female servant?"

"No." he answered bluntly.

His reply pinched my heart.

Suddenly, I found myself in great trouble. I walked back and forth with my hands on my hips, thinking really hard. I stopped in front of him, looked at him straight in the eyes and acted like how girls would do on korean soap operas. I imitated their puppy-like eyes with matching sweet talk.

"I have nowhere to stay, Antoine. And, I'm really scared. " I said pitifully. "A little help, please. Let me stay in your house. I won't be a burden. Promise."

His brows furrowed with so much care.

"There's a convent nearby, I can take you there for now."

"No, don't leave me there." I protested because that convent was near the Church with an evil priest.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow I'll take you to Gerona. There's a good community for homeless women and abandoned children in there. I will make sure you'll get all that you need."

Antoine is indeed a good man. Even if he does not know me yet, he was too generous and kind to help me as much as he could. I was almost convinced of his suggestion but my determination to be with him was so strong. I will be in a better situation and a lot safer in this strange world if I would stay close to him.

"I don't want to go there either."

"I think it's the best for you now."

"I want to stay here with you, can't you see?" I blurted out as I was already being impatient of him making excuses so that I would not be staying in his house. "I need to be with you!"

He was greatly surprised with my answer.

On the other hand, I was embarrassed by how the words just came out of my mouth.

We sounded like a "couple" breaking up even if we just saw each other twenty minutes ago.

"Lady, you don't even know me." he started explaining. "I might as well send you to my aunt's boarding school nearby. I don't want you to be involved in any way with a man like me. You see, I'm an excom..."

"Excommunicated man?" I continued for him. "The friar thinks of you as a heretic, a sinful man."

His lips opened a bit to talk but stopped. Instead, he stepped far back again.

I got him shaken at last. This was my chance. I had to do my best for him to take me even as one of his household helpers. My goal was to make him take me.

Even if I had to resort to blackmailing him.

"The man who greeted you. They are aswang* folks, right?"

(In Filipino folklore, a shape-shifting monster who feeds on human blood and internal organs)

"The aswang is not real." Antoine attempted to deny. He is really bad in lying.

"And...you are not a hundred percent human. I'm just wondering how your fellow hunters would react if they knew you're a half..."

His mother was a fae who took human form. He kept this a secret to everyone to avoid any trouble.

"Wait. Lady...not so loud." he tried to stop me from continuing.

"And there's even more!" I added excitedly. "I know why you can never hire young female servants in the house! You accidentally charm them! Ha! That's why you hesitate to take me with you. To tell you frankly, your charm won't work on me."

He scratched his head and inhaled deeply. I could see so much shame and confusion on his face.

"Who are you?" he asked with a tone of curiousity and desperation.

"I will tell you if you agree to hire me as one of your house helpers and give me a change of clothes. Then, I promise to keep your secret. Deal?"

He thought for a moment. My heart pumped like one thousand times per minute. I was about to faint from nervousness because he might not agree with me.

"Is that a deal?" he asked me. "An honest deal?"

"Yes." I replied excitedly. "No worries, I'm good in cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, scrubbing floors...and carpentry!"

"Carpentry?"

"I also do table and chair repairs by the way. I also fix roof leaks."

He shook his head and made a hand gesture for me to follow.

"I don't know why I'm agreeing with this but you are one strange lady."

"You're a lot stranger than I am." I shot back. "But I know you are a good man."

"Do you think so, Miss Secret?"

"Yes, Mister Gold Eyes." I replied with a grin. His lips moved like he was about to smile back but he simply restrained it. This character of mine has trouble showing his real emotions. Most of the time his face would be cold and expressionless even if a mix of feelings were already building up inside him.

But his eyes were indeed, a mirror of his soul. By simply looking at them, he is an open book.

I could see clearly that his eyes are smiling with so much warmth at me.

I wondered why.

My heart skipped a beat.